Write about an experience when you felt one of the following emotions

In this activity, you will explore your ability to understand your own emotions and recognize them as they are occurring. This ability is the foundation for all other emotional intelligence skills.

1. Write about an experience when you felt one of the following emotions: FRUSTRATION or ANGER, FEAR or ANXIETY, SADNESS or UNHAPPINESS. Describe fully the cause (what happened) and your emotional reaction. Because emotions are difficult to describe, you may want to try a comparison like this: Anger spread through me like fire in a pile of dry hay … or I trembled in fear as though I was the next person to stand before a firing squad, or For two days, unhappiness wrapped me in a profound darkness. Of course, create your own comparison. Your journal entry might begin, Last week was one of the most frustrating time of my entire life. It all began when … Most important, be aware of any emotions that you may feel as you are writing.
2. Write about an experience when you felt HAPPINESS or JOY. Once again, describe fully the cause (what happened) and your emotional reaction. A possible comparison: Joy bubbled like champagne, and I laughed uncontrollably. Most important, be aware of any emotions that you may feel as you are writing.
3. Write about any emotional changes you experienced as you described each of these two emotions. What did you learn or relearn about how you can affect your emotions? If you weren’t aware of any changes in your present emotions as you described past emotions, see if you can explain why. Were you not experiencing any emotions at all? Or could you have been unaware of the emotions you were feeling?